Brook Konia (Ngāti Porou, Kōtimana, Pākehā) & Louie Zalk-Neale (Ngāi Te Rangi, Pākehā)
9 June—28 July
soft shell, Parnell Project Space
Taura is an experiment in enabling artist-to-artist exchange that looks to establish soft shell as a site for activity, experimentation, and community building.
This project revolves around taura (rope) made from tī kōuka (cabbage tree) fibre as both a guiding metaphor and material focus. Rope in its simplest form is bundles of fibre rolled and twisted into an interlocking double helix. Many fibres become one; together they have the strength for tasks like hauling heavy loads and lashing joins on waka hourua (double hulled canoe). Taura presents an opportunity for two artists who have been working intensively with tī kōuka to cross over again like strands of rope and spend time in wānanga, both with each other and with a wider community of makers.
This project will emerge over a series of events at soft shell, including a residency involving artists Brook Konia (Ngāti Porou, Kōtimana, Pākehā) and Louie Zalk-Neale (Ngāi Te Rangi, Pākehā). These artists spent time in wānanga (exchanging and developing knowledge) in 2022 at a three-day noho marae organised by Louie in Ōtaki. This wānanga introduced Brook to tī kōuka, which he now considers his primary medium.
This project is presented as part of Jordan Davey-Emms’ curatorial internship, soft shell, which occupies Parnell Project Space until March 2025.
If you would like to visit Taura during the week, please do get in touch. Group and solo visits welcome!
Email Jordan to book: softshellparnell@gmail.com
EVENTS
Gathering: rau, rākau, rope
Sunday 9 June
10am – 2pm
Have a go at making rope, add drawings or stories to a shared rope workbook, and help warm soft shell in preparation for our upcoming artist residency.
Assorted materials will be provided, but if you would like to donate some tī kōuka (cabbage tree) leaves for use in the space, please bring some with you.
This drop-in event is free to attend. No bookings required, all welcome.
Open Weekends
Saturday & Sunday 6-7, 20-21, 27-28 July
10am – 2pm
New works installed and generated by Brook and Louie during their recent residency at soft shell will be on show in the space.
Visitors are invited to sit and make rope and add to soft shell’s collaborative taura workbook.
These drop-in events are free to attend. No bookings required, all welcome.
